Harry Potter and the Denial of Bloodlines
by RoryEvans
Summary: Harry is shown the ways of the Dursleys. In a final attempt to squash the magic out him, Harry finds himself abused and back at headquarters.
1. Voldemort will not be the one to kill me

Disclaimer: Despite my wishes that Harry Potter was mine... I cannot legally claim anything. In this instance I am borrowing characters but using what I hope is completely my own plot line as I would rather not mess up any of the true future books. By the way I won't be insulting anybodies intelligence here... I am just going to assume that you have read all five books otherwise there will be spoilers.

Harry Potter and the Denial of Bloodlines

Chapter 1: Voldemort is not going to be the one to kill Harry Potter...

The drive home from King's Cross Station was terribly unusual coming from Harry's point of view of his "family", they neither mentioned what had just transpired nor did they berate him for who he was. The ride was blissfully and at the same time agonizingly silent for Harry Potter.

Normally Harry would relish not hearing the opinions of his family but after what happened to him recently it left him drowning in a sea of guilt. The pain he felt was consuming him. For the first time in his life, Harry wished with all his heart that his Uncle Vernon had drown him when he arrived on his doorstep those fourteen years ago.

Arriving in the driveway, after a stony drive back to Privet Drive, Harry quickly gathered his trunk and Hedwig's cage and followed his relatives into the house in silence. Nothing could have prepared Harry for the site he received upon entering his childhood residence. The first thing he noticed was the state of disrepair in an otherwise compulsively clean home. As the minutes wore on it became clear exactly who was responsible for the mess. Uncle Vernon quickly and forcibly pulled Harry over to the kitchen table and pulled out a pen and a sheet of paper and instructed Harry to write twenty-one letters (enough to last for the entire summer) to the "freaks". Harry stayed perfectly silent as his uncle proceeded to dictate to him.

"Dear Everyone... write that to everyone who needs to know, I don't want them know-it-all criminals coming to my house this summer. You will not be going back to them." Uncle Vernon commanded him. At this point Harry knew that he was in big trouble. 'What is he going to do to me? I can't fight him, I will try of course but I can't use magic now!' Uncle Vernon cleared his throat interrupting his thoughts "Yes, as I was saying ... Dear Everyone, I am fine. My aunt and uncle send their regards. I really need to be alone right now. Just sign it Harry. It won't due to have them think you really love them, nobody could ever love you back. Boy now you will copy that and put them all on the desk. Then we will decide what to do with you." As Uncle Vernon finished his speech, Aunt Petunia bellowed in her shrill voice for "the boy" to set the table. She then proceeded to hand him three plates, silverware, and goblets. When Harry looked at her again she just snipped about him believing he was good enough to eat with those who had not been a burden all their lives.

Up until this point Harry had not said a single word to his "relations" as he had taken to calling them. All the while through this berating he chose to continue to believe that he deserved this treatment. This was his punishment for murder, being a "worthless ungrateful boy who doesn't deserve to live", and an all around unloved child. Now he was curious... "May I go to my room now then?" As he waited for a reply he noticed the smug and sadistic look in his uncle's eye... he knew he was in trouble.

"Room?! You think I would supply you with living conditions that would suit decent people! You are not decent you are less that the worth of a mutt. You will sleep back in your cupboard. You will do chores there is a list already in your _room._ If they are not completed every day to _my _satisfaction, you will NOT eat, and you will stay awake until the job is finished." Vernon sneered the words he so viciously spat out of his mouth. Harry couldn't help thinking exactly how much he wished he could be with anyone even Snape right now instead of in Surrey. He quickly squashed that thought as he beheld another 'I deserve every pain and ache I get from them... I killed them all. I deserve to be dead.'

When Harry did not respond to the rant shot at him from Vernon, he quickly found himself being held by his neck to the wall struggling for breath. The pressure from Vernon's massive knuckles was overwhelming. With the lack of oxygen and lack of wand, Harry didn't stand a chance. The last thoughts he remembered thinking before the blackness overtook him was 'maybe they will let me see Sirius, if he forgive me that is. I hope I can be with him at least.'

* * *

Slowly Harry edged back into consciousness about seven hours later. First he tested his eyes only to find that his glasses were broken and his right eye swollen shut. Apparently his uncle had beaten him after he passed out. Testing out his limbs left his mind screaming at him for even attempting movement. He could not move his left arm and was reminded painfully of the break he had received during his second year. Even his lungs shouted their protests. Harry could tell just by looking at his own chest that several of his ribs were broken.

Without any light in the room he could only smell the strong metallic scent of blood mingled in the dusty air of his tiny cupboard. He had a bitter feeling that the "Boy-who-lived" should have been able to stand up to his uncle and not suffer so cruel a fate as to being beaten into unconsciousness. The only thought he could bring forth at this particular moment was that he had work to do and could not be sleeping. He already realized exactly what dreams would bring and vowed that he would never sleep again if it meant that he would never have to see that horrid scene play before his eyes again and again.

The days went on like this for three weeks... being revived long enough to make breakfast; send Hegwig off with a prewritten letter every three days; cleaning and repairing the house; not eating; and being beaten into black night each and every night. When he recovered each morning he inspected his new bruises and went over to himself the reasons why he deserved this fate. Then quickly denied himself actual rest and sleep only to begin on his chores that he knew would be waiting.

Harry was now painfully thin, with bruising covering nearly ninety percent of his body yet he never protested, cried out, or fought back. He only tried to do what was asked of him in hopes of being spared another beating. Locked in his cupboard he could imagine exactly what his "friends" would do when he returned.

He imagined them rejecting him, telling him that if they risked their lives for him they would only suffer and die like everyone else. Even in the time he was awake, Harry would envision Sirius falling through the veil, and then come back out to tell Harry that it was all his fault. He could hear the ringing in his ears "You did this to me, I never should have loved you. What a fool I have been." With that last memory, Harry slipped silently into black night, his tortured body slack on the cold hard floor of his cupboard.


	2. Succumbing to Relief

Chapter Two: Succumbing to Relief

"Albus Dumbledore" Remus practically shouted into the fireplace. As soon as he pulled his head out he began to pace, muttering to himself about his inability to take care of his best friends son. 'the poor child, what must he be going through? Why didn't I think to check on him? Those small letters were always the same. They practically screamed "leave me alone!" And "Help Me!" all at the same time. Could Dumbledore be wrong again? I should have gone anyways. He belongs with people who can comfort him, not those rotten relatives of his.'

Dumbledore stepped silently through the fire which had just fizzled green. He watch as Remus paced back and forth seemingly in his own world, when suddenly he turned and started shouting in a furious attempt not to lash out and break into tears all at the same time. "I want him out of there! He does not belong with those _muggles_! Can't you just see that your little plan for keeping him "safe" is only distancing him from what he needs, from the help he could be getting. From those people who actually **_LOVE_** him! Do you know Albus that the child does not ever remember anyone telling him they love him until Sirius?! That is just wrong, negligent, and totally unacceptable even from muggle standards." Remus abruptly sat down, unable to hold back the tears. Violently he turned to his former professor and threw a handful of unopened letters and several addressed only To Whom it May Concern into the lap of the uncommonly stunned Professor Dumbledore.

"What do you have to say for yourself." He demanded, quite out of character for the calm, collected demeanor of the ex-defense professor. "And if you say one single thing toward blood wards being the strongest defense, I swear to Merlin himself, I will not regret my actions."

Lacking the usual twinkle in his eye, Dumbledore calmly questioned, "When was his last letter Remus?"

"Last week Friday, five days ago."

"Well at least when we go pay him a tomorrow it will be because he hasn't written to tell us that he is ok. We did give him that option if he wanted to be left alone to write every three days." As he finished speaking, Molly and Arthur Weasley, and all of the Weasley children, minus the still absent Percy, stormed into the room.

"What do you mean we have to wait until tomorrow?! He is a child, who just lost the only parental figure he has ever had. I can't _believe_ this nonsense about not getting him out of there now. Wards or not he is not doing well there. Do you want him to come back a broken child that even you can't fix. He needs his friends and family and you are doing your best to deprive him of that." Molly Weasley was showing her full temper as she shrieked out those words. All of those present knew there was no arguing with a furious female Weasley, they are know for their unwavering temper and exceptional ability to let others know exactly what they want and never to give up until it is theirs.

Even Dumbledore, the usually stoic figure, wavered to Mrs. Weasley's temper and conviction for her surrogate son. "Molly it is simple, we need a full force if we are going to be able to retrieve him at all. We need aurors, and plenty of them to ensure his safety."

Now it was Ron's turn to chime in with his opinion to Harry's circumstances, "How can you say that he is safe with them at all?! They never take any care to see that he is happy or even healthy. _For Merlin's sake they put **bars **on his windows and lock him in._ He even let it slip out once that his bedroom was a _cupboard._ I really don't care how many people you take to bring him back HOME; HERE! If you don't go now, I am going alone. I will find my best friend and give him what he needs. And if he is hurt because of you, you won't know where you are when you land after I get my hands on you!" Ron seethed and hastily exited the room before he caused any damage.

* * *

At the same time as Ron's famous show of Weasley strength, Harry Potter awoke from the darkness that had settled on his shoulders for the past several days. Since he was unaware how long exactly he was unconscious, he had no way of knowing if the Order had come to pay him a visit or if his letters had gotten off in time. He really didn't relish the idea of staying at the Dursley residence all summer but it would have to do, being as this was the only place he was truly safe and could not do any damage to other people he loved If he was away from them.

The upside to the darkness was that he never did see Lord Voldemort when he was in these states. But three weeks without real sleep was taking its toll even without the beatings, though you could never see the dark circles underneath the bruises.

Harry being Harry just seemed to think people could forget about someone very easily if they put only a little effort into it. He seemed to think he was very easily forgettable, or loath able if you knew anyone of the many people he was guilty of murdering. 'Maybe I didn't cast the curse but I did nothing to prevent them all from dying because of me. I would gladly take their place, if only to relieve myself of a little stress. This must be abnormal, but then I wouldn't really know about normal, I am a "freak".'

Slouched on the floor of his cupboard in the only way he could be comfortable with the numerous broken bones, Harry silently sat listening to the sounds of the house. It was only when he heard the telltale sound of apparition that he began to panic. His mind started to work into overdrive, 'If they get in here, I have no way to protect myself or my relatives. I don't want anybody else's blood on my hands. If they are coming, I will just surrender; maybe they can get out alive. Then they won't be bothered anymore. I won't bother anyone anymore.'

* * *

At number 12 Grimauld Place, a crowd was gathering. Nymphandora Tonks, Remus Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Alaster Moody, Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Fred, George, Bill, and Charlie Weasley, and Albus Dumbledore all included in the emergency summons to provided the escort service of a one Mr. Harry Potter.

All at once the mood was tense. Severus Snape was standing and sneering in the shadows. "Why on earth does that Golden Boy need a rescue mission. It is not as if he is anything special. Just because he failed to mail a letter. And why exactly do I have to attend this jaunt?" Inside he was anxious to show everyone that the insufferable Gryffindor was just showing off to get attention... again!

"Would you just knock it off for tonight, I really can't take it anymore" demanded the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At this even Snape was shocked. "Molly could you send the young ones home, for tonight at least. I'm afraid Aerulia must stay here tonight, if you would be so kind as to escort her over Severus, she will be safer here than alone. I'm sure that Harry won't want to see his friends when he is being yelled at for his carelessness tonight."

At that Molly exited quickly to floo her offspring home for the night. She knew they wouldn't like it but it must be done. Upon her arrival back all those present apparated at once just outside the wards at Number 4 Privet Drive landing with one loud POP!

* * *

Harry stood in his cupboard, grimaced, and rammed his shoulder into the door to release himself from the tiny room. At least now he couldn't be ambushed. As he took his first step outside the door of his "bedroom" he promptly fell in agony to the floor. Gritting his teeth he stood, less than gracefully, and prepared himself mentally and physically for the blow he believed he was about to receive.

He strained his ears to listen to the approaching sounds. Harry knew he would have no chance to go and retrieve his precious wand, so he prepared to resist little and give himself over to Voldemort's minions.

An "Alohamora" was heard, and the door to the blood sanctuary of Harry Potter creaked open. Standing in the doorway Harry looked on in shock at the site of thirteen full grown wizards standing in his doorway. When he recognized the face in the doorway, the bruised and bloodied teen promptly succumbed to the darkness that was ebbing at his consciousness.

* * *

The company of thirteen entered the house swiftly. Professor Dumbledore issued a command to silently search the house for the missing teen. But just as the command was issued, a throat was cleared from Severus Snape. He wordlessly pointed to the ground to the crumpled form of the Boy-who-lived. Remus could smell the blood in the air around the tiny form.

The company stood in shock and silence. It was Molly Weasley who first rushed over to the boy, gathered him in her arms, and spoke the words Harry had longed to hear but didn't. "You are leaving here Harry, you are coming with us. We all love you." Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Suddenly everyone in the room spurred into action. One group set out to find any of Harry's things, and the other set out to find, and punish, those "wretched muggles." Severus Snape and Remus Lupin were a small part of the second group. For the first time ever the two seemed to work as an undefeatable team. Neither knew what was happening, all they knew was that no child deserved this.

Lights and flashes were observed coming out of the two occupied bedrooms upstairs, nobody downstairs seemed to care. Harry's few possessions were quickly found still packed away in his school trunk for the return trip home.

The battered boy was quickly scooped up into the arms of the hated potions master and rushed out of the house towards the edge of the wards. He and those following behind him rushed to aid the quiet and injured child. Snape could not help but feel guilt in his mind for his treatment and assumptions of the child that lie helpless in his arms. He knew that the boy would heal from the physical wounds but could he ever overcome the obvious emotional ones. Everything that was ever said with sarcasm or bitting remarks replayed over in his head.

Remus spent his time on the trip home berating himself for letting the child be treated so terribly and not checking on him sooner. Albus was wracked with the same guilt upon his shoulders. 'How could I have caused such unnecessary anguish?'

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were busy thinking that they were glad the young children were not around to witness the events that would transpire when they returned to Order headquarters. They both loved the brave young boy as one of their own children and could not understand how anyone could do this to someone so kind and considerate.

Tonks, Shacklebolt, Moody, and the rest of the Weasleys were busy trying to think of a way to help Harry. Someone they had all come to respect and care about. Who could help caring about someone so selfless and loving as to earn their respect every day. He never ceased to amaze them with his strength of character and of heart.

Minerva McGonagall was trying to figure out if she should have seen the signs earlier.

No one spoke on the trip back to headquarters. No one noticed the concern on each others face as they rushed to help the child. Each knew that potions and rest could cure Harry of his physical ailments, but how could anyone bear his emotional burdens.

As soon as they reached headquarters, everyone was sent different ways to retrieve things to bring the Gryffindor back to the world of the living. Snape himself set up lab in the room of his most hated student, in silent bedside vigil. No single soul still breathing in Order Headquarters left the room for more than twenty minutes, until Harry awoke more than three days later.


	3. Someone to Learn About

Chapter Three: Someone to Learn About

'Soft. The smells? I don't understand... where am I? Did I die?' Harry could only question what was going on. He felt the soft hands and the soft bed but he couldn't quite tell where he was. 'There is no sound, maybe I am dreaming.' Harry struggled to open his eyes but found them sticky shut. He strained to hear anything or even move his muscles but found them unwilling to cooperate.

At first he didn't notice, but a soft hand was squeezing his. He could not tell who it was, but she smelled of sweet strawberries and peaches. _She..._Harry did not remember anyone like that... but he imagined only a girl could come to that perfect scent. He gently pried his own eyes open to see a girl looking down at him with soft mossy green eyes that told him tales of comfort, and understanding, something Harry longed for. She did not remove her hand from his upon seeing his eyes open but stared into them. She silently put a finger to her lips and then indicated to him around the room. Harry glanced around astonished to see that everyone around him was sleeping. The first he saw was Mr. and Mrs. Weasley slumped over in chairs. Tonks and Remus were next to them on a couch. The next site he came upon was the cutest he had ever seen. A see of red heads asleep on the floor all with their heads together in a large circle, Fred, George, Bill and Charlie Weasley were all snoring silently. Harry could only assume that there were silencing charms on those who snored because he still could not hear a thing. The strangest site yet to see was the one directly to his left. Hunched over a large desk sat a man with a cauldron, Severus Snape... upon seeing this site Harry almost had a heart attack.

After the shock wore off, Harry turned to the girl he didn't know and gave her an inquisitive look. She climbed her way further onto his bed, closed the curtains and cast a silencing charm around the four poster bed. This alone shocked Harry, the girl in front of him could be no more than thirteen much too young to be breaking the rules. But she just smiled at his reaction

"I would bet you want to know first of all who I am, what you are doing here, how you got here, and what is going on. Am I correct in my assumption?"

Harry at first just gapped. He tried then to speak but the words came out more as a rasp that quickly turned into a cough. When he looked up he saw a glass of water hovering in front of his face. Grateful he sipped the liquid greedily. He slowly and painfully turned to face the amber girl, who was now sitting next to him on the huge bed. "So you know the questions, will you tell me the answers now please?" Harry said in a whisper.

The girl looked at him for a minute in a manner that Harry strangely found very comforting and he didn't see any of the pity or adoration that he frequently saw in the eyes of other girls. "We are at the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix as you well know. The people in the room now were sent to find you after they worried about your letters. I have it on good authority that they had reason to worry; hence you have been here for three days without so much as a blink. They removed you from your house and are never going back according to what I have heard. I was not there but I was here when you arrived, apparently you were badly beaten, barely alive. They are still questioning how you survived." The moss green eyes met with emerald, and he could tell she spoke the truth, she still had not said who she was, but already he knew who she was, she was his angel, someone he belonged with. It wasn't a reaction, but a feeling; Harry couldn't describe it except for fate. It was not love, at least not yet, or lust, or infatuation but a feeling of finding the one, without knowing why.

Harry slowly processed the information and struggled to sit up in bed. He would have succeeded except for the blinding white hot pain that consumed him upon his initial movement. He promptly ceased movement and buried his head as deep in the fluffy pillow as the feathers would allow. The sweet smelling girl on his bed sensed his discomfort and gently rubbed the back of his hand in a soothing manner, while they both waited for the pain to subside.

When Harry was finally conscious of his actions, he once again opened his eyes, and then he asked the question she had failed to answer. "So you answered the other questions but you left out the stuff about yourself, so who are you? Why are you here? Can you tell me anything about you? Or are you just an angel sent from heaven to show me the way? If the answer is affirmative to the last, I do believe I would gladly follow. I would relish the release from this path I seem destined to follow and all the weight that comes with it." Harry had no idea why he started telling her all of this. This was stuff he never even told his best friends. In a way his answers were truthful but it still shocked him to hear the words coming from his own mouth.

Her quivering voice told of her fear of telling him everything. Harry could tell she was holding back but she answered and he accepted everything she said. He knew she would tell him everything eventually. He still could not explain how he knew but he knew.

"My name to begin with is Aurelia Lorelei Avalbane. As for why I am here this is not exactly the time to tell you, other people should be present, in fact I am not entirely sure myself. As for what I can tell you about myself what do you want to know... that is a very open ended question and could take years if you want me to answer you fully." She kidded with him just to make him smile, which he did. Harry did not mind this in fact he was more than a little curious to go ask her anything and everything. She added as a last thought "and no I am not an angel, but they do exist," Aurelia seemed sad at the last part, but Harry could not figure out why.

A sudden movement startled their conversation. "It seems people are waking, they will want to see that you are ok." She smiled down at him, inside Aurelia was excited that Harry was awake and alive. The wizards surrounding him had been concerned that Harry would never wake. They had all, including her uncle, stood silent vigil over Harry's bed for days. He was never alone and every groan or spasm sent the room into tears. Frequently Harry would go into convulsions that no one and no potions could stifle. She knew Mrs. Weasley had forbidden her children from coming and even knowing about Harry's state, she wasn't sure what the woman would do now. Aurelia could see in Harry's eyes that he did not want people to know what he had been through. He was ashamed, for many different reasons; he was unable to defend himself from muggles, he was beaten and unloved, she also saw that he felt he deserved such treatment. She saw this in his eyes. Those unyielding emerald eyes that held way too much pain, guilt and suffering for someone of his years.

Aurelia could tell he despised the attention he received as well as the sympathy and pity. She could not bring herself to show him that. Silently she vowed to offer him a friendship free of that. It wouldn't be hard to do, she knew what to do, Aurelia had done it before. It took courage to face things together and friendship that always remained unyielding to the forces that threatened to break it apart. Those took effort, and Aurelia was more than willing to put forth the necessary effort to affect the life of anyone. She inwardly promised herself that she would be a friend Harry, her first friend in England. She only wondered what his reaction would be.


	4. Inquisition

Chapter 4: Inquisition

He didn't know how she did it, but she managed to sneak off of the bed, remove the charms, and slip out of the room without anyone being the wiser. It was not three minutes later that Mr. Weasley arose to check on him.

It took much to shock Arthur Weasley, but the sight before him did that quite quickly. Harry Potter was awake… quite shocking after the injuries he obtained not long before. Before he spoke he eased himself gently onto the bed to grab Harry's hand. First check being vitals, a necessary for every parent, being the father of seven he, being the most rational of the two Weasley parents, this was his normal reaction upon injury of anyone he cared for. Speaking softly so as not to wake-up the rest of the room he spoke "Grimauld Place, Harry, in the 2nd floor guest room." Answering first all of Harry's unasked questions.

Harry spoke barely in a whisper, his throat was once again hoarse and dry "Thank you."

Hearing the rasping of Harry's voice Mr. Weasley reached over to grab a light orange potion "drink Harry, it will make your throat better." Harry tried to grasp the vial, hands shaking so violently he was unable to even bring the concoction to his mouth. Sensing the difficulty, Arthur discretely helped the embarrassed teen to drink, making it clear using only body language that this would change nothing of his opinion of Harry. Giving a minute to allow the potion to take affect, he waited, grasping tightly to Harry's small, thin hand. Pulling Harry closer to him, he murmured calmingly and reassuringly into his ear "It's not your fault, you never deserved this." Harry fought back tears for as long as he could before he gasped and in hiccupping rasped he cried on Mr. Weasley's comforting shoulder, feeling for once as a child should in the presence of a father. He cried himself back to sleep. It was then when Harry was sleeping comfortably when Arthur eased away only to become rapidly aware of those waking around him.

"Shh… he woke" this was all he was able to say before moving to restrain his wife. "Let him sleep, he cried himself out. This isn't the time to wake him, he is ill and injured. Yes, he needs help but first he needs time. I know you love him, Molly, but this time I refuse." Molly, who rarely ever heard her husband use that tone, knew there was no arguing.

"Well, what did he say?" Asked the concerned face of the normally bubbly Tonks.

"He only said 'thank you.'" Arthur glanced over his shoulder at the too small sleeping teen, dwarfed even more by the large bed.

The relief of Harry's wake allowed many of the adults to rest, in shifts of course, someone was always present to be there with Harry when he woke. Remus took most of the shifts. The sleep was an induced healing sleep allowing Harry's magic to flow and heal like no potions or charms would effectively accomplish, thus with the extent of his injuries it was another four days before he opened his eyes again. What met his eyes shocked him greatly, the potions master, Severus Snape.

The small gasp Harry allowed to escape his lips was enough to alert Severus Snape to his watcher. The potions master who looked very relieved, began a small series of scans to judge the boy's condition. Grudgingly he pronounced Harry cured but weak, both magically and physically. And with that pronunciation in the room filled with the six adult Weasley's (minus Percy), Tonks, Remus, Minerva, Shacklebolt, and Mad-Eye. Dumbledore was suspiciously absent. And thus began the great inquisition.

Tension had filled the air in a silence nobody seemed to want to break. This just made Harry more and more uneasy. The thick walls were broken by all twelve adults and their numerous questions. Harry, to his relief, was unable to make any of them out. It seemed then that Shacklebolt was decided to be the leader. And in the most pressure filled room Harry had ever had the displeasure of being in, the questioning began. The first question had a simple answer and he knew, they knew and only wanted confirmation, but it was his embarrassment that forced him to cover it.

"Harry, who did this to you?" bluntly questioned by Kingsley.

"No one, I fell down the stairs."

The next command came from a slightly tearful Nymphandora Tonks, it was spoken gently but it was still a command "please don't lie to us Harry, we only want to help you."

In perfect Harry manner the "I'm sorry" came out followed by, in barely a whisper "the Dursley's."

Kingsley spoke again, "why didn't you tell somebody?"

The answer shocked everyone present, "I did tell people, I told my teachers at school when I was little, they said they would press charges, look into it." Here Harry's voice broke "they would come in the next class and wouldn't remember a thing I told them, it was always like it never happened, or nobody cared. I realized when I found out about the wizarding world, that most likely they were obliviatied. I didn't think anyone would care or help me." The last was spoken so softly, and with such resignation that even the feared 'greasy bat' had a tear rolling down his cheek. Luckily for him nobody noticed.

Harry continued, "I figured everybody knew, after all my letter was addressed to 'The Cupboard Under the Stairs', and I kept asking to stay at Hogwarts every year, but no I had to keep going back for the 'blood protection'". His voice was cracking, the tears were falling, and Harry could do nothing to stop it.

Harry answered the following questions with little hesitation, the answers were monotonous, as if spoken by a computer, no emotion, no pain. But everybody knew that the pain was there, just on the inside. The questions were routine, everybody present participated. It began with Remus, it was as if he feared the answer as he asked the question "how long?"

And he did cringe at the answer, along with everybody else in the room "since I can remember."

It was followed by a question that nobody wanted to ask, but it had to be, Snape was delegated to this, "did anyone ever sexually assault you?" The answer had everyone breathing a sigh of relief, it was the truth, a simple answer "no."

Fred's turn, "When was the last time you ate?" The answer, "Hogwarts feast". Harry then asked a question of his own, "What's the date?"

"July 13th, Harry." George said. "The bars, Harry, that were on your room…?" The question was implied, he knew they were not for robbers like Harry had said earlier. The reply was expected but unwanted, "they locked me in, they thought I couldn't cause trouble that way."

Mrs. Weasley sobbed out her question, "that is why you cook so well isn't it?" Harry over the last summer had spent a great amount of time competing with Mrs. Weasley to cook the best meals, nobody knew where Harry had conjured up his skills. The answer was clear with a simple nod from the small child.

The rest of the questions were small, things like his behaviors and mannerisms that he had developed or perfected that the small group of people had noticed. It all led back to the larger struggle, Harry Potter was an abused child.

Now it was Harry's turn to ask the internal questions he had been dreading, "Do Ginny, Ron, and Hermionie know?"

Bill replied, "No, when we went to get you we sent them back to the Burrow, they didn't even know you were coming back with us, and we still haven't told them. We thought that would be a job for you, when and if you feel up to it."

"Thank you, I don't want them to know, I didn't want you to know, I didn't want anyone to know."

"Mr. Potter," Snape drawled, "you should know that you will never return to those _muggles_ again. Not a single person in this room would allow that, not even I."

"I have to the blood protection has to be renewed, I don't have a choice." Harry stated dutifully, even now unwilling to leave his relatives without protection.

"This is not up for debate Harry, you will never return. As your new guardian I am pressing charges." Harry started at this new revelation from Remus. Remus noticed and interjected "It will all be explained tomorrow."


	5. Drowning

Harry Potter and the Denial of Bloodlines

Chapter 5

Drowning

Harry slept fitfully that night, often screaming out against unseen attackers. Thankfully none were visions. It was after waking the house twice that he finally slept fisting the shirt of Remus and being soothed by Tonks. Neither left his side, choosing to sleep next to the distressed boy.

Harry woke with the sun, slipping gently from between his night's comforters. He padded down the stairs and into the kitchen. He wanted to make breakfast for his rescuers. Searching the pantry, he found the makings of a pancake breakfast with fruit and sausages. Tea in various flavors, the freshly brewed coffee, all was placed on the table. His assumptions that the aromas would wake the house were correct; it wasn't long before everyone was trailing their noses to the table. As the throng of caretakers arrived at the table, Harry continued to busy himself with the pumpkin juice and marmalade.

It was Harry who spoke first "eat up, don't worry it is not poisoned. I can cook you know." Fred and George were the first to unceremoniously plop they down and scarf ravenous amounts. Bill looked to Charlie as if to say 'better get some food before they eat it all.'

As if on cue to the completion of the meal Dumbledore arrived. Nobody even acknowledged his presence, shocking Harry greatly. Remus and Tonks had such looks of disappointment and anger on their faces that forced Dumbledore to tread softly. "Mr. Potter, now that you are awake, we can commence with the reading of the will." Harry's breath hitched, but Professor Dumbledore continued on not taking any notice. "If you will all join me in the library in twenty minutes, everyone should have arrived by then" and with that he popped out.

The look on the face of the youngest present was of great guilt and resignation. He spoke just a question "everyone?"

Arthur answered, "Everyone here was named in the will and is of age to inherit. Except you, but you are the primary beneficiary so you should be there. Do you want any of your friends here? Right now the Grangers are taking care of Ron and Ginny is at Luna's, but it would be no problem to the them here for you."

"No. Thank you, I really need to do this myself."

Slowly people filed into the library, Harry curled himself up tightly into a ball, perched on a chair in the corner as if to disappear. In his haste, Harry neglected to realize Aurelia's entry into the room.

As the room filled, Harry began to feel suffocated. Drowning. Foreign thoughts and emotions filtered through his mind. The will hadn't even begun to be read and Harry was panicking. His breath was shallow and rapid, hyperventilating, mind racing; pulse was pounding in his veins. Sadness, grief, anger, resentment, and love bombarded him. It was all he could do to stay conscious, yet none noticed his predicament except Aurelia.

He didn't hear her shout, or the reactions from those around him. The influx of confusion surrounding him only furthered his distress of the overwhelming emotions. "Stop." Ari cried, kneeling down in front of the older boy. Mumbling "come on Harry, focus" over and over with inserts of "deep breaths" and "concentrate on my voice" whilst opening his shirt to place the flat of her palm against his chest right over his heart. Her left hand grabbed his right hand to place his palm above her heart before letting her hand drift to his cheek. Eyes locked. Her muttering eased, her focus drawn along with his. Blocking out all else a blue glow surrounded the pair as she pushed calm to him; Harry slowly relaxed with the new influx. Aurelia had the awareness to tell those surrounding them to get out! Miraculously everyone obeyed, although rather reluctantly.

It was not until well after everyone left when she released his eyes and moved her hands. Allowing his hand to fall. No words were spoken for many minutes. As Ari drifted from the room he knew without words that she would return in mere moments.

Ari walked resolutely to the kitchen intent on a glass of water and a dreamless sleep potion for the older boy in the library. Her progress was, as predicted, impeded. But to her morals she followed through as she refused to answer any questions regarding the scene in the library claiming "it is Harry's thing to tell, I have no business spilling secrets that are not solely my own."

Regardless of her statement though, Dumbledore tried to pry it out of her using Legimancy, but it proved fruitless, as she was as skilled an Occlumens as Severus. Due to this she also had much trouble prying a dreamless sleep potion from Severus, but she pulled him aside to explain some things. He already knew much about her powers and talents, all it took was her statement that she would need to train Harry for him to catch on.

Ari returned to find Harry running his fingers through his jet-black hair and staring off into space, still curled into his corner chair. All it took was her touch on his cheek to break him out of his state.

She passed him the water, which he gulped like a dehydrated man, and then sat down next to him to await the questions she was sure would follow.

Visibly Harry appeared relaxed, but the waves that she could feel pouring off of him were clearly anything but. Aurelia stood, took his hand in hers and guided him to the plush couch. It took much coaxing but she was able to get him to lie down on his stomach. Her fingers played with the muscles on his back and shoulders, draining the tension.

The strange feelings knotting Harry's stomach were foreign to Harry. He reluctantly allowed Ari to relax him with her delicate fingers. Some of his tension was caused by her in the first place, her proximity did nothing to ease him at first, a girl he hardly knew did more to him than the one girl he dated. Granted she was beautiful and seemed to hold secrets of her own, but the overwhelming feeling that he could trust her with everything caused a lot of curiosity for the boy-who-lived. This red-headed beauty held answers, he didn't know why he knew this but he did.

The final release for Harry was when his angel began to sing… soft sweet melody filled his ears, calming every nerve, and stilling his thoughts as if a phoenix was singing to him. She was lovely, he voice only served to enhance her beauty in his eyes. And Harry knew he had fallen… in fact he was drowning.


End file.
